Need a good detail shop in South Jersey Area...

[Mark B]

Hey Everyone,
Does anyone know of a really good detail shop in the South Jersey Area? I dont mind paying for quality. My 91 Vert just got painted a month ago & needs to be cut & buffed badly. I tried to the the paint shop to do it, but they seem to be dragging there feet. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Mark B

[TraceZ]

Do it yourself?

It's not that bad... You need a power buffer, some bonnets and a couple bottles of gunk.

I use 3M stuff. First a compound, then a glaze. Follow with Z5 with ZFX and then Z2 with ZFX. The compound is applied with a cloth bonnet and the glaze with a foam bonnet.

You could lightly wetsand the whole car first, that would really make it look sweet after it is polished. Wetsanding technique is easy to learn.

It's not rocket science!

[Mark B]

3 words....

SCARED-TO-DEATH


I dont know if I trust myself enough to take sandpaper to fresh paint. ??

[TraceZ]

3 words....

SCARED-TO-DEATH


I dont know if I trust myself enough to take sandpaper to fresh paint. ??

LOL... It's not that bad. Use 1500 or 2000 grit wet paper with a flexable sanding pad and a clean bucket of warm water. Gently sand an area, then use a body squeegie to swipe it dry. Inspect the surface for orange peel and repeat the sanding process until the squeegie reveals a smooth surface free of orange peel. Do the entire car like this, focusing on the large flat areas that are most likely to catch reflections. Do not sand on edges, it is risky and unnecessary.

Sanded areas will look very dull after dry. All that is left is to buff it to a shine and apply your Zaino.

If you are hesitant, you could always start by doing a small area in a door jamb first to build your confidence, although it's really not necessary to do the jambs.

How many coats of clear are on the car?

[wolfdogs]

get a porter cable orbital buffer... they are awesome and idiot proof....

what tracy is refering to with the "z"'s is zaino. i would use zaino's fusion and do the car.. then what he said after that.... and zaino is ok to use on month old paint.....

[TraceZ]

Also, when wet sanding, use a controlled linear pattern for even sanding. Do not "scrub" the car in any one spot.

It may sound intimidating, but the technique is really quite simple once you get the hang of it and build some confidence.

[Steel2686]

Also - Make sure to use a sanding block on the large, flat surfaces. This will give you a much more even pattern, and you won't "burn through" the clear by pressing down with just your fingers.

It's easy. I did the wing on my T/A which was factory paint. I thought it had a bit too much orange peel, so I wet sanded it and hand buffed it. Looks like a mirror now.

[Mark B]

You guys are making me feel better about doing it myself. As soon as this darn rain stops... mabey I will give it a whirl.